Dead Conversation
by Cassandra Hunter
Summary: A conversation takes a strange turn.


Title: Dead Conversation

Author: Cassandra Hunter

Category: BtVS/ SG-1 Crossover

Disclaimer: All I own is the idea.

Plot: A conversation takes a strange turn.

Notes: I word this story at like one in the morning. Which is, strangely, my best time for writing. This takes place right after Daniel ascended and right before Buffy was brought back to life.

-

It was like a scene out of a movie. The sky was a crystal clear robin's egg blue with few clouds. The few clouds that floated along the sky were pure white puffs that every once generated shade for others. It was a park that it peered down upon. The grass was an emerald green and there was a lake was a shimmering cerulean blue. Other than the little dots of colors that were flowers, there was a blanket of checkered red and white. Two figures were sprawled out precariously on the blanket. Between them were a deck of cards and a couple of containers of food. The food was a nice afterthought but not necessary, considering neither of them needed to eat.

"This is nice." The blonde haired female commented. She shuffled the cards and watched the man beside her.

The man smiled and seemed to take a moment to bask in the lambency of the sun. "Yes. It is."

"I just wish it was real." She replied.

"Who says it isn't real." He gave her s strange look.

Buffy Summers shrugged. "Well, I am dead and you are... what did you call it? Ascended?"

"Yes. But that doesn't mean it's not real."Daniel Jackson answered her.

"Yeah, maybe." Buffy took a moment to process it. "Everything is so pretty. So bright."

"You seem a little uncomfortable with that." Daniel realized. Strange...

Buffy shook her head. The look he was giving her was a little eldritch. "I'm not. Really. I've just felt a little more comfortable in the night."

He appeared to take that as a good resolution "Where are we anyways?" Daniel didn't recognize the place.

Buffy's face became solemn. "It's a park where my mother used to take me and my sister when we were little."

Daniel frowned. New information."I didn't know that you had a sister."

Buffy nodded. "Dawn. She's... I don't know how old she is anymore. I lost count. Time is so different here. Faster. Slower. Backwards. Forwards. I love it and hate it at the same time."

"You hate it?"

"I don't understand it." She shook her head and gave a little laugh.

"Some things aren't meant to be understood, Buffy. Just savored." As if to prove a point he took a bite of an apple and gave a sinful look.

Buffy gave a giggle. "Can you even taste that?"

"I wish." Daniel grinned and chucked it into the lake. It gave a thunk and small splash.

"Okay, now you're staring to get annoying." She rolled her eyes.

"Because I don't agree with you?"

"No, because you sound so all knowing." And he did.

Daniel sat up and stretched. "I am not all knowing, trust me."

"I do." She replied.

"I know."

"There is that all knowing voice again, Daniel." Buffy informed him. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"Not now." Daniel told her and he meant it too.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Very reassuring."

"I try." He laughed.

They both went quiet as they shared a comfortable moment. The only sound they heard was the water splashing on the shore.

"Daniel?" Buffy's voice broke the silence. She turned to find him laying back with his eyes closed. It was peaceful. Almost like he was sleeping.

"Hum?" He opened one eye and looked at her.

"Are you dead or alive?"

Daniel took a minute to think about it. It was something he never thought about it. "Yes."

"Evasive."

"I'm not trying to be, you know. It's just the truth."

Buffy shrugged as she watched the clouds float across the sky. "Still, crystal clear. As ususal."

Daniel sighed. There was a couple more moments as he joined her in cloud watching. "Buffy, do you miss your life?"

Now that was unexpected. "Sometimes. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." He denied.

She used the little kid voice. The one you used as if you talking to a little kid. "Daniel. You asked for a reason. Why?"

"It's just..." Daniel heaved a sigh and turned over on his stomach. "Now and again, I think I made the wrong choice. I should have let them try and heal me."

"Why do you think that?" Buffy inquired.

He shook his head. "I can't interfere. I have to watch them get hurt and there isn't anything I can do to stop it."

"Anything?"

Daniel flushed. "Well, there are a few loopholes. Which I used to my advantage. But still..."

"You worry." It wasn't a question.

"Yes."

Buffy gave her advice. "You made your choice, Daniel. All you can do is what you can and hope."

"Hope. Yeah." He didn't sound to enthused by the prospect.

"Why did you ascended in the first place, Daniel? Why didn't you let them heal you?" She asked. It was the same questions she asked every time they met. Then he would return wuth...

"How did you die?"

That was it. "I asked you first." They fell in to the familiar argument.

"I asked you second."

"Daniel." Annoyance was creeping into her voice.

"Buffy." Daniel mimicked. He did that just to get on her nerves.

"You're never going to answer that question, are you?" Her voice sounded resigned, almost defeated.

"Are you going to answer mine?" He answered it with another question.

"No." It was responded simply.

"Then you have your answer"

The conversation had taken a eerily morose turn. "Are you sure?"

"That I'm not going to answer your question. Yeah."

"Not that." Buffy told him.

Daniel took on a curious face. "Then what?"

Buffy grinned, one that had Daniel on edge. "The other question. The one I asked you before."

"You've asked me a lot of questions before." He said.

"But you've only not answered a few." She reminded him. Buffy grabbed the deck and began to once again mix the card.

"Okay, there was the one about my hair." Daniel counted off.

"No." Not the question.

"The one about your friends." He remembered.

"No." That wasn't it either.

"Well, there was the one about..." Daniel's eyes widened as a look of realization crossed his face. "...Oh, no. No. No. No."

"Yes." Buffy's grin widened as she saw recognition enter his face.

"Oh, come on."

"Please." She begged him.

"No." He refused.

"Why not?" Buffy demanded.

"I am not going to play strip poker with you." Daniel informed her.

"It'll be fun." She reported.

"No, it won't." His voice was just as happy, only in a mocking way.

"Why..." Buffy's jaw unhinged as she realized why. "Oh! Oh! I know why!"

"You think you know why?" Daniel doubted that sincerely.

"Yes." A peppy voice answered him.

Daniel crossed his arms. "Then why?"

Elation covered her face. "You're not wearing anything under that robe, are you?"

"..." A blush rose up Daniel's cheeks.

"I knew it!" Buffy cackled.

"I am!"

She shook her head. "It took you to long to deny it. Any you blushed."

"I did not." Was a venomous denial.

"Did too. There was blushage."

"Didn't not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Prove it." She instructed him.

The blush seemed to deepen. "..."

Buffy realized what was crossing his mind. "Oh, come off it, Daniel. I'm not asking you to strip. Just play one simple game of strip poker."

"No. And it basically is the same thing." Daniel replied.

"See!" Buffy called. She knew it.

Daniel scowled. There was going to mocking. "My layers of clothing has nothing to do with this."

She snickered. "Yeah, right."

"I doesn't." His voice was bordering on a whine.

"Then why?"

"Fine." Daniel gave in, knowing it was the only way to get her to stop.

Buffy threw her arms up in the air. "I win!"

"The game hasn't even started yet." Daniel reminded her.

"That's not what I'm talking about." She responded cheekily.

"..."

"Just tell me one thing, Daniel." Her voice was all innocent.

It immediately set Buffy on edge. "What?"

"Are you even wearing any underwear under that?"


End file.
